The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector having terminals with improved structure for electrically connecting with inserted pin contacts.
Generally, stamp-formed terminals designed to mate with inserted pins use single or dual cantilever contact arms with contact surfaces on the free ends of the arms. A pin inserted into a conventional terminal bends each arm along its length thereby deforming the arm as a cantilever beam and generating a contact force resiliently urging the contact surface against the side of the inserted pin. The cantilever beams extend along the length of the terminals and are limited in length by the height of the terminals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,883 discloses a conventional connector with such a terminal. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the conventional terminal 10 comprises a body 12 and a pair of spring members 22, 24. The body 12 includes a housing mounting plate 16 and a pair of flat terminal tails 18 and 20 extending longitudinally away from the body 12. The pair of spring members 22, 24 extend perpendicularly away from one side of the body 12. Each spring member 22, 24 includes a first arm 28 extending perpendicularly away from the body 12, a second arm 130 joined to the outer end of arm 28 and extending perpendicularly therefrom in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the terminal, and a rigid arm 132 joining the outer end of arm 130 and extending perpendicularly in a direction back toward the body 12.
However, the spring members 22, 24 are shaped with rigid profile in longitudinal direction, such that when a pin contact of a mating connector is inserted in longitudinal direction between the spring members 22, 24, if there is a slight offset between the pin and spring members 22, 24, the body 12 will suffer a large mating force.
Thus the terminal 10 need be precisely mounted in the electrical connector for reducing unduly large mating force. However, manufacturing cost will therefore increase.
A main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having an improved terminal structure for reducing mating force when engaging with a mating connector.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a terminal with a simplified structure for reducing mating force when mating with an inserted pin contact.
To fulfill the above-mentioned object, according to a preferred embodiment of present invention, an electrical connector comprises an elongate molded plastic housing with a pair of rows of terminal cavities spaced along the length of the housing and a terminal fitted in each cavity. Each terminal comprises an integral body stamp-formed from thin metal strip. The body comprises a front base and a middle base. An elongate flat tail extends longitudinally backwardly away from the body. A pair of spring arms extend upwardly from lateral sides of the middle base.
Each spring arm comprises an arched S-shaped cantilever portion upwardly extending from the middle base. A pin contact portion extends forwardly from the curved cantilever portion. The pin contact portion is bent inwardly to form a contact ridge so that the contact portions are spaced more closely together than parallel cantilever portion. The cantilever portion is formed with an arched S-shaped profile for providing a flexible electrical connection with an inserted pin contact. The contact portion is tapered with a minimum width adjacent the cantilever portion and a maximum width adjacent its outer end.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.